Our generation forged its identity on music that's convenient. MP3's, iPods, and streaming music apps have given us instant access to the songs we want. This typically comes with a price, though: quality. Maybe you've purchased a nice pair of headphones to up the quality and comfort level of your mobile listening, but that only goes so far.
To get record-level, concert audio out of your iPhone, you need something extra to reduce noise and interference to make those digital audio signals sound more vivid and lifelike. The new Boomcloud360 Boomstick is one such device that does this in a super portable and affordable package.
The Boomstick is an oval-shaped device. It plugs into your headphone jack, and you plug your headphones or earbuds into it. Switch it on and press the big button on the front, and suddenly your favorite music — whether streamed from Spotify or stored on your phone — sounds noticeably better, and louder.
Overall, it amps up the volume of what you're playing, which can be useful if you're listening in a noisy environment like a subway car or an airplane. It also clarifies the individual instruments and song components so you can pick out the piano, the snare drum, and the bass guitar, rather than hearing them muddled together in the background. Additionally, vocals sound fuller. If you are listening in a quiet environment though, it does amplify background noise too. So while everything else is improved, you have a steady background buzz as well, which can be annoying.
Still, using the Boomstick makes you feel like you're listening to music in a room, rather than through a pair of tinny Apple EarPods. BoomCloud360 says that with the Boomstick, the audio quality of said EarPods becomes equivalent to a $200 or $300 pair of Beats headphones.
The Boomstick definitely isn't the only device to do this type of thing. Audiophiles have been using DACs (digital to analog converters) and preamps for ages, but typically, they're a lot more expensive. The Boomstick, which is available for pre-order now, only costs $99, and will ship this spring.
If you like the portability of your earbuds, but want better audio, this could be just what you're looking for. If you already have an excellent pair of headphones, the purchase could still potentially improve your music, but not as drastically.
We have HD and 4K for awesome video. It's about time we start listening to audio that's just as good, too.
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